Olympic Stadium ruling challenged

West Ham’s hopes of moving to the Olympic Stadium could be affected by lowly Leyton Orient.

Last week the Hammers were given a major boost when they were named as ‘preferred bidders’ for the Olympic Stadium. It meant they were almost certain to move there after the London Games in 2012 having beaten off the rival claims of Tottenham Hotspur.

But now Leyton Orient – who play in League One, two divisions below West Ham – are challenging the decision. Orient chairman Barry Hearn believes that if West Ham do move from Upton Park, they could attract supporters of his club, whose Brisbane Road ground is close to the Olympic Stadium.

Hearn has written to British prime minister David Cameron, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson in a bid to reverse the ruling. One of his options is to launch a judicial review challenge at the High Court.

“It’s a question of due process and whether the Olympic Park Legacy Committee, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and even the Prime Minister have given consideration to Leyton Orient in these discussions,” said Hearn. “The government has a responsibility to take into account all the effects of any ruling they take.”

“We are awaiting what I assume is a rubber-stamp decision from Boris Johnson and the DCMS to award West Ham the stadium.” “But I find it incredible they would even consider making the decision before undergoing due process in regard to the effect on the incumbent football club.”

Among Hearn’s concerns are West Ham’s indication that they would give free or heavily discounted tickets to local residents in a bid to fill the 60,000-capacity stadium. He believes that would badly impact on attendances at Brisbane Road, where the average gate is around 4,000.

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Sharon Cross
4 years ago

Why would West Ham being in Stratford impact on Leyton Orient and their supporters when it never did before when West Ham were at their old ground at Thames Iron Works which is literally just down the road from where the OS is now. Mr Hearn do you know your Club’s history?!!

mapreader
4 years ago

As it is apparently so cut and dried, would sharon Cross please detail the relativity of the two clubc locations in respect to the Olympic Stadium. It must definitely be closer to Upton Park than Brisbane Road unless it’s sheer arrogance and purposely misleading. Perish the thought. Over ot you Sharon.

Jim Wicks
4 years ago

Why would the moving of West Ham affect Orient? It my well be good for them as they should be at home when West Ham are away. The more fans that get into the football habit will want to go and watch when the Hammers are away. What better than going just up the road to the O’s